On social media, sex sells, nudism doesn't
A few thoughts on the algorithmic amplification of body shame
Social media algorithms have come under scrutiny for their biases and the ways in which they influence the content that users see, such as the ways they inadvertently amplify conspiracy theories or extremist content, as we have seen in the news in recent years. Yet there are a myriad of other ways in which these biases shape our experiences and behaviors online, and not all of them have been broached by anchors on CNN.
One that nudists and artists have become all too familiar with is the bias against nonsexual nudity, and the double standard these platforms create by simultaneously promoting highly sexualized images, clothed or not.
Social media algorithms are designed to prioritize content that is likely to receive a high level of engagement. This means that sexualized images are more likely to be shown to users, even if they do not want to see this type of content. One result is the normalization of these sexualiz…
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